I just downloaded Empire and it reminded me of a Mac game (I didn't have a
PC). I notice the web site didn't mention a Mac port so I'm wondering what
that Mac rip-off was called. Anyone know? I'm just curious.
-Ben
ps - The web site also mentions Hamurabi. That book of games (I can't remember the name) was great and it was what taught me to program (on a Superboard II). That and "Lemonade" for the Apple II. It's a pity games are so complex now that it would be impossible to publish a book of games and have anyone notice it.

Ben Hinkle wrote:
> I just downloaded Empire and it reminded me of a Mac game (I didn't have a PC). I notice the web site didn't mention a Mac port so I'm wondering what that Mac rip-off was called. Anyone know? I'm just curious.
found it - Strategic Conquest.

Ben Hinkle wrote:
> <snip>
> It's a pity games are so complex now that it would be impossible to publish a book of games and have anyone notice it.
Even if it's an examples section, or examples here and there, in a "Simple Game Programming In <some language>" book?
I'd think amateurs who'd like to learn how to program simple games are just as common now as they were back in the good old days. OK, so there could be factors influencing the number both ways....
Stewart.
--
My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox, aside from its being the unfortunate victim of intensive mail-bombing at the moment. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

"Stewart Gordon" <smjg_1998@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:c8sh6b$1p5m$1@digitaldaemon.com...> Ben Hinkle wrote:
>> > <snip>
> > It's a pity games are so complex now that it would be impossible to
> > publish a book of games and have anyone notice it.
>> Even if it's an examples section, or examples here and there, in a "Simple Game Programming In <some language>" book?
>> I'd think amateurs who'd like to learn how to program simple games are just as common now as they were back in the good old days. OK, so there could be factors influencing the number both ways....
The difference to me is that when I was a kid the game came first and over time I got interested in how the game worked and the fact that it was so simple made it possible to keep up my interest. Even the best games of the day had simple implementations. Today the best games are very complex so to get a kid interested in playing a simple game or learning how to program a simple game is much harder. If I were a kid today I would turn my nose up at Hamurabi and Empire unless I went in motivated to learn programming. If someone could port Empire to platforms like PDAs where the games are at the level of the late 80s then that would be a good way to generate interest. Maybe games on those platforms are already past Empire, I don't know.
> Stewart.
>> --
> My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox, aside from its being the unfortunate victim of intensive mail-bombing at the moment. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

"Ben Hinkle" <bhinkle@mathworks.com> wrote in message news:c8t0uv$2gjl$1@digitaldaemon.com...> simple game is much harder. If I were a kid today I would turn my nose up
at
> Hamurabi and Empire unless I went in motivated to learn programming. If someone could port Empire to platforms like PDAs where the games are at
the
> level of the late 80s then that would be a good way to generate interest. Maybe games on those platforms are already past Empire, I don't know.
You hit the point. That is why Java Applet games are "downladable". Since Walter also wrote Symantec Visual Cafe's Java compiler, I see no reason why Empire can't ported into an downloadable Applet. Even for my limited ability, I did port something into Java http://www.big2game.com/~kagay/gomoku.html

Kar G Lim wrote:
> You hit the point. That is why Java Applet games are "downladable". Since
> Walter also wrote Symantec Visual Cafe's Java compiler, I see no reason why
> Empire can't ported into an downloadable Applet. Even for my limited
> ability, I did port something into Java
> http://www.big2game.com/~kagay/gomoku.html
Cute!
20+ years ago I had a version of this game running on a Philips P880. A computer with 64Kb with a size of 1 yard high by 1 yard deep by 2 yards wide. It had a boots trap of 16 or so 16 bits value's which I had memorized. The game was written in Fortran IV...
--
ManiaC++
Jan Knepper
But as for me and my household, we shall use Mozilla...
www.mozilla.org

"Jan Knepper" <jan@smartsoft.us> wrote in message news:c8v96p$fko$1@digitaldaemon.com...> Kar G Lim wrote:
> > You hit the point. That is why Java Applet games are "downladable".
Since
> > Walter also wrote Symantec Visual Cafe's Java compiler, I see no reason
why
> > Empire can't ported into an downloadable Applet. Even for my limited ability, I did port something into Java http://www.big2game.com/~kagay/gomoku.html>> Cute!
> 20+ years ago I had a version of this game running on a Philips P880. A
> computer with 64Kb with a size of 1 yard high by 1 yard deep by 2 yards
> wide. It had a boots trap of 16 or so 16 bits value's which I had
> memorized. The game was written in Fortran IV...
How old are you? Or it that a taboo...
Actually the D version should be more portable to Java, only problem is the MS-Windows specific stuff.

"Kar G Lim" <klim@machealth.com.au> wrote in message news:c90q16$2t5g$1@digitaldaemon.com...> Actually the D version should be more portable to Java, only problem is
the
> MS-Windows specific stuff.
The windows specific stuff is isolated to a couple of files handling the user interface. The game engine itself is independent. The code should be easy to port to Java.

Kar G Lim wrote:
> How old are you? Or it that a taboo...
No, it is not... I was born on September 8, 1967 in a little place called Koudum www.koudum.nl in the provice of Friesland in the Netherlands, Europe. Koudum is/was part of the Hemelumer Oldeferd municipality.
I guess that makes me 36+ years of age as of this writing... ;-)
I started with "Aviation (services, engineering/maintenance, logistics)" at what is now called "the Amsterdam Regional Community College" http://www.rocva.nl/sf/sf.cgi?ac=frameset&id=37?http://www.rocva.nl/sf/sf.cgi?2856 when I was 15, almost 16 years of age. This is where I first learned about the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and shortly after of an old Philips P880 sitting in a separate room somewhere.
Hope that answers the question...
Jan
--
ManiaC++
Jan Knepper
But as for me and my household, we shall use Mozilla...
www.mozilla.org

Wow, you are younger than me!
Well, my problem is I was born in a small town in Malaysia near the border
of
Thailand. Grew up never seen any high tech stuff other than an electronics
calculator. Only when I arrived in Australia was then I started mucking
around with C programming at UNSW.
Looks like I am going to challenge myself to see the Java port is worth an "old bloke"....
"Jan Knepper" <jan@smartsoft.us> wrote in message news:c92erg$28st$1@digitaldaemon.com...> Kar G Lim wrote:
>> > How old are you? Or it that a taboo...
>> No, it is not... I was born on September 8, 1967 in a little place called Koudum www.koudum.nl in the provice of Friesland in the Netherlands, Europe. Koudum is/was part of the Hemelumer Oldeferd municipality.
>> I guess that makes me 36+ years of age as of this writing... ;-)
>> I started with "Aviation (services, engineering/maintenance, logistics)" at what is now called "the Amsterdam Regional Community College"
>http://www.rocva.nl/sf/sf.cgi?ac=frameset&id=37?http://www.rocva.nl/sf/sf.cg i?2856
> when I was 15, almost 16 years of age. This is where I first learned about the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and shortly after of an old Philips P880 sitting in a separate room somewhere.
>> Hope that answers the question...
>> Jan
>>> --
> ManiaC++
> Jan Knepper
>> But as for me and my household, we shall use Mozilla... www.mozilla.org